Natural Resources, Human Capital, Capital Goods, & Entrepreneurship Factors of Economic Growth Natural Resources, Human Capital, Capital Goods, & Entrepreneurship

Factors of Production There are 4 factors of production that influence economic growth within a country: Natural Resources available Investment in Human Capital Investment in Capital Goods Entrepreneurship The presence or absence of these 4 factors determine the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year.

GDP GDP is the total value of all the goods and services produced in that country in one year. It measures how rich or poor a country is. It shows if the country’s economy is getting better or worse. Raising the GDP of a country can improve the country’s standard of living.

Natural Resources

Natural Resources All of the things found in or on the earth; “gifts of nature”. All resources are limited. Examples: land, water, sun, plants, time, air, minerals, oil, etc.

Economic Growth Important to countries: without them, countries must import the resources they need (costly) A country is better off if it can use its own resources to supply the needs of its people. If a country has many natural resources, it can trade or sell them to other countries.

Human Capital

Human Capital This is all of the skills, talents, education, and abilities that human workers possess---and the value that they bring to the marketplace. Examples: computer/reading/writing/math skills, talents in music/sports/acting, ability to follow directions, ability to serve as group leader & cooperate with group members A country’s Literacy Rate impacts Human Capital (the percent of the population over 15 that can read/write).

Economic Growth Nations that invest in the health, education, & training of their people will have a more valuable workforce that produces more goods & services. People that have training are more likely to contribute to technological advances, which leads to finding better uses of natural resources & producing more goods.

Capital Goods

Capital Goods This is all of the goods that are produced in the country and then used to make other goods & services. Examples: tools, equipment, factories, technology, computers, lumber, machinery, etc. What are some capital goods used in our classroom?

Economic Growth The more capital goods a country has, the more goods & services they are able to produce. If a business is to be successful, it cannot let its equipment break down or have its buildings fall apart. New technology can help a business produce more goods for a cheaper price. Money is NOT a capital good, but rather a medium of exchange!

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship People who provide the money to start and operate a business are called entrepreneurs. These people risk their own money and time because they believe their business ideas will make a profit. They bring together natural, human, and capital resources to produce foods or services to be provided by their businesses.

Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurs have 2 characteristics that make them different from the rest of the labor force: 1. innovative (have creative ideas) 2. risk taker (use limited resources in an innovative way in hopes that people will buy the product) It can be several things: Starting your own business Inventing something new Changing the way something was previously done so that it works better

Economic Growth Entrepreneurship creates jobs and lessens unemployment. It encourages people to take risks, and in doing so, they’ve created better healthcare, education, & welfare programs. The more entrepreneurs a country has, the higher the country’s GDP will be.

Economic Growth Economic growth in a country is measured by the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in one year. It measures only what has been produced within the country--this doesn’t include products that are imported. It is much better for the economy of a country to produce its own goods and services (this increases the country’s GDP). Measuring the GDP each year can: Compare one country’s economy to another Check a country’s economic progress over time Show if the economy is growing or not

Standard of Living The higher a country’s GDP, the better standard of living for the people within the country. In order for a country to have an increasing GDP, it must invest in human capital through education & training, and it must produce goods that have value to be sold within the country or exported.

Summary To encourage economic growth and raise the living standards of its citizens, there must be investment in human capital and capital goods. Economic growth is measured by increases in GDP over time. How large a nation’s GDP can be is determined by the availability and quality of its natural, human, and capital resources. To increase economic growth and GDP over time requires investments in both capital (factories, machines) and human capital (education, training, skills of labor force).

Quick Charades Choose one of the words below. Act out the word (or something that is an example) WITHOUT talking. Let your partner guess which word you chose. Your partner must explain WHY they knew the answer! Natural Resources Capital Goods Human Capital Entrepreneurship